Paul Crouch

For Paul Crouch's son, Paul Crouch Jr., see Paul Crouch, Jr.

Paul Crouch
Born	Paul Franklin Crouch March 30, 1934 (1934-03-30) St. Joseph, Missouri
Occupation	Evangelist, Network Executive
Employer	Trinity Broadcasting Network (as President)
Known for	Founder of The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN)
Title	President of TBN
Spouse	Janice Bethany Crouch, 1958-present
Children	Paul Crouch Jr. Matthew Crouch Andrew Crouch (producer)
Relatives	Brandon Crouch, grandson
Website
www.tbn.org www.paulcrouch.com

Paul Franklin Crouch (born March 30, 1934) is a religious broadcaster and, along with his wife Jan, co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).

Biography

Crouch was born in St. Joseph, the son of Pentecostal missionaries. Crouch, whose father died when he was just seven years old, was mainly raised by his mother with the help of his grandparents. He soon became interested in amateur radio and announced he would use such technology to send the Gospel around the world. He graduated from the Central Bible Institute and Seminary in Springfield, Missouri in 1955 with a degree in theology.

He has also received three honorary doctorates: Doctor of Litterarum (D.Litt) on May 29, 1981, from the California Graduate School of Theology, Glendale, California; a Doctor of Divinity on May 29, 1983, from the American Christian Theological Seminary, Anaheim, California; and a Doctor of Laws degree on May 5, 1985, from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Crouch and the former Janice Bethany (Crouch) met in 1957 and were married in Missouri. They have three sons, Paul Crouch Jr., and Matthew Crouch, and producer Andrew Crouch, who also have prominent positions with and also frequently appear on TBN.

Early broadcasting career

Crouch began his career in broadcasting by helping to build an educational AM station (KCBI-AM) on campus while a student at Central Bible Institute and Seminary. In 1957 he became a radio announcer at KRSD in Rapid City, South Dakota and progressed rapidly to program director. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to manager of sister station KRSD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Rapid City.

In 1961, he was appointed by the general council of the Assemblies of God to organize and operate their newly-formed Department of Television and Film Production in Burbank, California, a position he held for four years. Crouch was responsible for the ongoing production of films focusing largely on foreign missions and foreign missionary works, as well as the Assemblies of God’s large inventory of audiovisual materials and children’s teaching aids.

From 1965 to 1970 Crouch was general manager of KREL radio in Corona, California. In 1966, he purchased a minority stock interest in KREL. During his time at KREL, he successfully completed the station's application for an increase in power to 5,000 watts.

After leaving KREL in 1970, Crouch was invited to serve as general manager for KHOF-FM and KHOF-TV in San Bernardino, California.

Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) history

Crouch left KHOF in 1973 and with his wife, Jan, founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). In 1974, TBN purchased its first TV station, KLXA-TV (now KTBN-TV), DT channel 23, in Southern California. Since then, under his direction, The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has grown to become the United States' largest Christian television network, and the third largest group owner of broadcast TV stations in the U.S., with CBS, FOX, and NBC holding the 4th, 5th and 6th place, according to TV News Check's annual listing of the Top 30 Station Groups.

TBN is viewed globally on 70 satellites and over 18,000 TV and Cable affiliates. TBN is also seen on the internet globally. TBN is carried on over 287 television stations in the U.S. and on thousands of other cable television and satellite systems around the world in over 75 countries, where their programming is translated into over eleven languages.

In the US, TBN’s coverage grew through agreements with national cable operators. TBN is viewed on US satellite and cable subs, and affiliated with major cable and satellite companies such as Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, Verizon FIOS, DirecTV, AT&T, Dish Network and Charter.

In addition to TBN, Crouch and his wife developed and oversee operations for TBN’s affiliated television networks: Smile of a Child - children’s channel, JCTV - youth network, The Church Channel, TBN Enlace USA - Spanish language network, TBNE-Italian, The Healing Channel - Arabic language network, TBN-Russia, TBN Nejat TV - Persian-language channel, and TBN-HD, TBN’s new high definition network.

Awards and citations

Crouch and the Trinity Broadcasting Network have been the recipients of numerous awards and citations of appreciation by both local and national leaders including the Golden Angel award from the Excellence in Media organization and the Parents Television Council Entertainment Seal of Approval, given to both the TBN and Smile of a Child networks for producing and promoting programming that reflects their values. Crouch was also appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Private Sector Initiative Project.

In May, 2009, the United Nations officially recommended the Smile of a Child Foundation to receive special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council for the Democracy Coalition Project. The 19-member Committee recommends general, special or roster status with the Council in accordance with such criteria as the applicant’s mandate, governance and financial regime. Special consultative status was recommended for: Smile of a Child, a United States-based organization, seeking to help world leaders alleviate poverty and improve the lives of children.

Criticisms and controversies

In September 2004 the Los Angeles Times reported that in 1998 Crouch paid Enoch Lonnie Ford, a former employee, a $425,000 formal settlement to end a wrongful termination lawsuit. TBN officials acknowledge the settlement, but contested the credibility of Ford who is a convicted felon, with crimes ranging from child sexual molestation to using illegal drugs such as crack cocaine. Ford became involved with TBN through a drug-rehabilitation program conducted on TBN’s property. Upon his successful completion of the program, TBN offered him employment. Ford was arrested while employed by TBN for drug-related violations, and was found guilty of violating his probation and was returned to prison for a year. Upon his release from incarceration in 1997, Ford again sought employment with TBN and, when TBN declined, he threatened to sue TBN by alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment. Ford has convictions in Orange County Courts, case numbers: 04CC05609, 01CF0559. Solano Courts case number: FCM107776 San Bernardino County: M618996 TBN officials stated that the settlement was made in order to avoid a lengthy and expensive lawsuit.

In late 2003, Ford threatened to release an autobiographical manuscript to the media should TBN and Dr. Crouch not agree to buy the manuscript for $10 million. TBN refused to pay Ford, calling his actions extortion. In October 2004, Judge Robert J. O'Neill awarded Paul Crouch $136,000 in legal fees to be paid by Ford for his violation of the terms of the settlement agreement, specifically the prohibition of discussing the settlement's details. On March 15, 2005 Ford appeared at the taping of the ION Television show Lie Detector. The show's producers decided not to air the show, and the outcome of the lie detector test was never released.

Crouch family members control the boards of all Trinity Network entities, which makes Trinity "ineligible to join" the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, an evangelical self-regulating group.

In 2000, Crouch was sued for $40 million by author Sylvia Fleener, who accused Crouch of plagiarism in his popular end-times novel (and subsequent movie), The Omega Code. Fleener's lawsuit alleged that the movie's plot was taken from her own novel, The Omega Syndrome. A former Crouch personal assistant, Kelly Whitmore, revealed that she had encountered a loose-leaf binder in Jan Crouch's luggage that the Crouches referred to as "the End Times project" and that he often called it "The Omega" but said he disliked the working title, "especially the word 'Syndrome'. After the defendant's motion for summary judgment failed the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Books

• Hello World! A Personal Message to the Body of Christ. (autobiography) (Nelson, 2003) ISBN 0785263128
• I Had No Father But God
• The Omega Code: Another Has Risen from the Dead.
• Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
• Shadow of the Apocalypse. (Berkley Trade, October 5, 2004) ISBN 0425200116

External links

• Trinity Broadcasting Network
• Paul Crouch at the Internet Movie Database